RuPaul’s Drag Race, Fleabag and Pose win at 2019 Emmys

23rd September 2019

Queer stories won big at the Emmy Awards this year.

At the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday (22 September) night, several queer shows and stars took home awards, including reality competition show RuPaul’s Drag Race and British drama A Very English Scandal.

Fleabag was the big winner of the night, taking home Outstanding Comedy Series and Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for star and creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

The first episode of the second season, which was raved about when it aired in March, took home Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Harry Bradbeer) and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Phoebe Waller-Bridge).

Actor and former GAY TIMES cover star Billy Porter made history with his Lead Actor in a Drama Series win for critically-acclaimed LGBTQ show Pose, becoming the first Black openly gay man to take home the award.

“We, as artists, are the people that get to change the molecular structure of the hearts and minds of the people who live on this planet. Please don’t ever stop doing that,” Billy said. “Please don’t every stop telling the truth.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race also had reason to celebrate – after RuPaul took home Outstanding Reality Competition Host at the Creative Emmy Awards earlier this month, the show was named Outstanding Reality Competition Series at the Primetime Emmys.

During his acceptance speech, RuPaul shared an important message: “Thank you for voting for us, we love you for that – and speaking of voting and love, go and register to vote, go to vote.gov and register.”

Elsewhere, out actor Ben Whishaw was handed the Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for his role in British drama A Very English Scandal.

The three-part series told the real-life story of politician Jeremy Thorpe, who was embroiled in a secret gay love affair during the height of his career in the late 1960s, only to then go to extreme lengths to make sure the truth didn’t come out.